This invention generally relates to security systems. More particularly, this invention relates to security systems useful for monitoring potential alterations of automated teller machines.
Automated teller machines (ATMs) have become well known and widely used. ATMs allow individuals twenty-four hour access to their bank accounts to conduct a number of transactions. One advantage to ATMs is their convenience to bank customers. Another advantage is the ability for banks to have transactions automated, which presents a cost savings to the bank.
One feature of known ATMs is that they require a sufficient amount of information regarding a bank customer before allowing a transaction to be completed. The conventional way of providing such information to the ATM is by inserting a card that includes a magnetic strip containing customer information. Maintaining such information confidential and secure has recently become problematic.
Skimming readers have been developed that are placed over a card reader slot on an ATM. These skimming readers read the magnetic strip on the card as a bank customer inserts their card for purposes of conducting a transaction with the bank. The skimming reader scans the magnetic strips of cards inserted into the card reader slot and gathers the information regarding each individual and their account.
By using a hidden camera or a secretly located individual, the customer's access code (i.e., a manually entered PIN) can be gathered. That information combined with the information gathered by the skimming reader allows an unauthorized individual to gain unauthorized access to the individual's bank account or accounts and make illegal fund withdrawals.
There is a need for a system that protects against such skimming. This invention addresses that need.